Newsroom and Magic Mike star Olivia Munn recently revealed that she suffers with anxiety issues. This problem manifests itself in the form of an impulse-control disorder called trichotillomania. Here’s the clinical definition via WebMD:
Trichotillomania, a hair-pulling disorder, is a mental disorder that involves an irresistible urge to pull out hair. This behavior occurs to the point of noticeable hair loss. The most common areas for hair pulling are the scalp, eyelashes, and eyebrows but may involve hair anywhere on the body.
Munn told the New York Daily News:
“I don’t bite my nails, but I rip out my eyelashes. It doesn’t hurt, but it’s really annoying. Every time I run out of the house, I have to stop and pick up a whole set of fake eyelashes.”
This struggle with anxiety impacts many parts of Munn’s daily life. For instance, it’s made it difficult for her to meet new people in social settings. “As an Air Force kid, I moved around a lot when I was younger and no one was nice to the new kid. So there is always this feeling that someone will make fun of me.”
The 32-year-old cites anxiety as her primary reason for holding off on becoming a mother as well:
“It’s not that I’m too busy with my career or anything, but I have this huge fear of something happening to a child of mine. What if I’m not a good parent and my child turns out to be a jerk? Like I need more anxiety in my life.”
I found the following video posted by 16-year-old Rebecca Brown who suffers with trichotillomania. In the clip she expresses, explains and demonstrates what dealing with “trich” is like and how it profoundly influences her life.
As a parent who suffers with clinical anxiety I applaud Olivia’s openness about her struggles. When someone as successful and talented as Munn acknowledges how anxiety effects her life it demonstrates to others that anyone can be susceptible to what can be a crippling disorder.
Photo: FayesVision/WENN.com
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